Facebook CEO to give away most of moneySAN FRANCISCO — Talk about birth announcements: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife say they’ll devote nearly all their wealth — roughly $45 billion — to solving the world’s problems in celebration of their new baby daughter, Max. Zuckerberg’s wife, Priscilla Chan, gave birth to a 7-pound, 8-ounce daughter last week. But the couple didn’t put out the news until Tuesday, when Zuckerberg posted it on Facebook, of course. In the same post, ...

Rain causes few problemsDespite a weekend filled with heavy rains, Russellville faced relatively few problems. As of 7 a.m. Monday, between 4.35 and 4.5 inches had fallen on the Arkansas River Valley since Friday, but with the exception of minor flooding on Fairview Avenue, no rain-related issues were reported to the Russellville Public Works department. “We didn’t have any issues at all that I’m aware of other than one minor issue on Friday,” Public Works director K...

Hat trick for Cyclones Soccer?Russellville High School Cyclones Boys Soccer head coach Jared Fuller is already preparing to defend the Cyclone’s back-to-back class 6A state championships. Fuller led the Cyclones to a state championship title against Greenwood in 2014. The Cyclones returned in their 2015 season to win the championship against Siloam Springs. “In the first year, we won it in penalty kicks during overtime,” Fuller said. “This last year, it was during normal p...

Wal-Mart launches campaign for veteransBENTONVILLE — Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to give up to $1.5 million to a charity that provides housing for families of veterans who are in military or veteran hospitals. The gift announced Tuesday includes a donation of $500,000 to the Fisher House Foundation and up to $1 million more through a campaign called Holiday Sing to Salute Military Families. The company says it will donate $100 for every video of a holiday greeting or ...

Community photo: Lions receive check for Vision Screening trailerRussellville Lions Club Vision Team Leader Steve Zimmer receives a $2,500 check from Pope County Community Foundation chairman Betty LaGrone in support of the Lions Club effort to outfit a new Mobile Vision Screening Trailer. The trailer will help the Russellville Lions offer more vision screening opportunities to the people of Russellville and Pope County. The club hopes to have the new mobile unit in operation early next year.

Downtown Art Walk & Holiday Open HouseThe Downtown Art Walk and Holiday Open House will take place from 6-9 p.m. this Friday. Russellville Downtown merchants will showcase the talents of area artists and musicians, along with their festive holiday storefronts. Community members are invited to stroll the sidewalks of Russellville Downtown while shopping for art, greeting old friends and making new ones, enjoying refreshments and taking in some of the live music. Participating locat...

Donation benefits new degree programA new degree program at Arkansas Tech University has received a gift that will enable its students to work with professional-grade equipment in preparation for their careers. Dr. Mildred Diane Gleason, associate professor of history at Arkansas Tech, donated $100,000 to the Arkansas Tech Foundation in support of the institution’s Bachelor of Arts degree in cultural and geospatial studies. “This new major will offer Tech students great opportun...

Community photo: Center Valley food driveCenter Valley Elementary School ambassadors are pictured with over 1,000 items that were donated by students at the school for the recent Thanksgiving food drive for the Manna House.

Simpson anniversaryArlene and David Simpson of Russellville will celebrate their 50 year wedding anniversary from 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 5, at First Assembly Fellowship Hall in Russellville. The couple was married on Dec. 10, 1965, in Dover. David, a Vietnam veteran, is retired from Firestone of Russellville after 36 years. Arlene is a seamstress, wife, mother and Mamaw to her Grands. Arlene and David have two children, David L. and Tracy Simpson of Russellville and A...

Williams anniversaryThe children and grandchildren of Aubry and Della Williams of Dover will celebrate their parents’ 50 year wedding anniversary from 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 5, at the Pleasant Grove Assembly of God Church. Friends and family are invited.

Russ Bus takes action, gives hope to homelessRuss Bus co-founder Fred Teague doesn’t like to sit around and wait for a dream to happen. If he did, Russellville’s homeless population would continue to grow. Back in March, Teague wanted to help area homeless obtain housing and employment and planned a transitional living facility. But Teague said the organization wasn’t able to purchase property. Instead of the originally planned My Buddies House, Teague said Friday the organization has bo...

Community photo: Classroom coloring contest winnersThe Pope County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee awarded prizes for the top three submissions to the county’s annual Agriculture in the Classroom coloring contest. Placing first in the county was Marlo Hollis (right), whose submission was sent to Arkansas Farm Bureau for the statewide competition. Placing second was J’lexa Hays (center), and third was Ella Kinsey. With them is Women’s Committee member Benita Drew.

Community photo: Pottsville Elementary coloring contestPottsville Elementary students from Becki Branum’s second grade class recently submitted entries into the Pope County Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom coloring contest, sponsored by the Pope County Farm Bureau women’s committee. The winning entry was forwarded to Little Rock for the Arkansas Farm Bureau contest.

ATU students step forward to help needyThere are 276 families in the Arkansas River Valley that have had a chance to enjoy a traditional holiday meal thanks to the combined efforts of Arkansas Tech University students and the Salvation Army. Helping Halls, an initiative that encourages Arkansas Tech students living in residence halls to help provide holiday meals to the less fortunate, donated 276 food kits to the Salvation Army for the 2015 holiday season. Each kit costs approxima...

Hoops for Hunger to support local charitiesSeveral Arkansas schools will come together next month for a basketball tournament that will raise funds for local charities. Proceeds from Hoops for Hunger on Dec. 28-30 at Russellville High School's Cyclone Arena will benefit River Valley Food 4 Kids and Manna House as part of an effort to provide food to those in need in the Arkansas River Valley. Sixteen teams, eight boys teams and eight girls teams, will play in the three-day event, which...

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